Woman's death ruled accidental drowning

Walker found in river May 26; another woman's death still under investigation.

Walker found in river May 26; another woman's death still under investigation.

June 22, 2007|By TOM MOOR

SOUTH BEND -- One mysterious death has been solved, but questions still remain in another. The death of Brenda Walker, who was pulled from the St. Joseph River on May 26, has been ruled an accidental drowning, St. Joseph County deputy coroner Chuck Hurley confirmed Thursday. Authorities, meanwhile, are still awaiting further tests to determine how 34-year-old Lanita M. Bonds-Newman died. She was found June 11 in an alley in the 1500 block of North Medora Street. Walker, 47, was found a few hundred yards downstream from where the East Race empties into the river. She had been reported missing since May 21. Hurley said Walker's blood-alcohol level was 0.288, or more than three times the legal limit to drive in Indiana. No drugs were found in her system, Hurley said. Authorities believe Walker could have slipped on a steep embankment and fallen into the river. Hurley ruled out a natural cause of death and suicide because Walker had no prior suicide attempts. There was no evidence that points to it being a homicide, he said. Although officials are unclear where Walker fell into the river, relatives and friends told police she often sat along the bank, but did not know how to swim. In Bonds-Newman's death, officials still are waiting for toxicology and microbiology tests, which they hope will determine how she died. An autopsy last week failed to yield a cause of death. St. Joseph County Coroner Michael O'Connell said he expects tests back soon. Kim Biskupski, whose house sits directly in front of where Bonds-Newman was found, would like to know. She called 911 when a neighborhood boy told her he found the body. Biskupski said she stayed calm considering the circumstances, although one neighbor said "she was screaming as loud as she could." Biskupski said that was not true. Biskupski said many neighbors still are talking about the discovery. "It makes me think," she said. "When you go out the back door now, you make sure the outside light is on. I'm a little more careful with things. "But everyone is talking a little bit about it, but not stressing about it. I've lived here for seven years now, and nothing's ever happened like this." Staff writer Tom Moor: tmoor@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6187